Are non-compete agreements enforceable in Missouri?
Non-compete agreements in Missouri are enforceable as long as they are necessary to protect legitimate interests of the employer and are reasonable in terms of the time period and geographic area that they cover. Two types of protectible interests that have been recognized by Missouri courts as being valid bases for non-compete agreements are customer contacts and trade secrets. Whether the time period and geographic area that an agreement covers are reasonable depends upon the facts of each particular case. If a court finds that an agreement is too broad, the court has the power to modify the agreement to the extent necessary to make it reasonable.
